Republican presidential candidate John McCain plans to acknowledge the steep drop in U.S. jobs in a speech today and offer to help the economy by cutting taxes, encouraging free trade, building nuclear power plants and launching other initiatives.

The rivalry is not yet Ali-Frazier, Russell-Chamberlain or McEnroe-Borg, but LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner may be forging a classic matchup in the 400 meters. Merritt made it two wins in three races against Wariner, who has ruled the event since 2004 with an Olympic and two world championship titles, in Thursday's final at the Olympic track & field trials. The U.S. team for next month: Merritt (44.00), Wariner (44.20) and David Neville (44.61).

Pardon Virginia Military Institute graduate Reggie Williams for being frustrated. Though he led the NCAA's Division I in scoring the past two seasons (28.1 points per game in two years ago, 27.8 last year), Williams has had to prove to NBA teams that he is more than just a product of a fast-paced, high-scoring collegiate system.